1991 in music

Contents

1 Events

2 Albums released

3 Top hits

Events

1991 was the year that grunge music made its popular breakthrough. Nirvana's Nevermind, led by the surprise hit single "Smells Like Teen Spirit", became the most popular U.S. album of the year. Followed immediately by other grunge bands like Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam and Soundgarden, grunge dominated the U.S. charts for the next few years. Its success effectively ended pop-oriented hair metal groups like Def Leppard, Guns 'n' Roses, Mötley Crüe, Poison and Ratt, whose sales and critical viability were beginning to decline for about two previous years and also ended Los Angeles' status as the city to be in for rock stardom.

A Tribe Called Quest's Low End Theory was released this year; it would go on to be considered one of the best hip hop albums of the 1990s. A Tribe Called Quest, along with De La Soul, Dream Warriors, Gang Starr and the Poor Righteous Teachers, helped define what came to be known as alternative rap with important releases this year.

Queen frontman Freddie Mercury was found dead in London on November 24, 1991 due to AIDS. Rumors had been circulating that Mercury had AIDS, but the death came as a shocker to millions of fans and the music industry. The remaining members of Queen form the Mercury Phoenix Trust and the following year, a tribute concert is staged in Wembley Stadium. A sell-out crowd in attendance witnessed the three surviving members reuniting to play along with performances by the likes of David Bowie, Elton John, Guns N' Roses, Def Leppard, Metallica and George Michael.

The massive success of Garth Brooks in this year sets the stage for the mid-1990s influx of pop-oriented country musicians. In addition, several soon-to-be pivotal bands form or release debuts, including future pioneers in riot grrl punk (Bikini Kill, Bratmobile, Huggy Bear), jam bands (moe., Dave Matthews Band, Phish, Spin Doctors) and stoner metal (Kyuss, Sleep, Obsessed). Massive Attack's Blue Lines, while unique at the time, invented the sound that would eventually become known as trip hop. Entombed's Clandestine and Dismember's Like an Ever Flowing Stream are early releases from the Scandinavian metal scene. U2 release their seventh album Achtung Baby, considered by many of their fans to be their best album.

January 18 - Three people are crushed to death during an AC/DC concert in Salt Lake City, Utah when audience members rushed the stage.
February 27 - James Brown is granted an early parole and released from jail. Brown had been arrested after leading Police on a high speed chase through two states in 1989. Pop Will Eat Itself documented the affair with their song, "Not Now James, We're Busy".
February 28 - Hollywood, California's The Record Plant recording studio closes its doors. Among the albums recorded at the Record Plant were The Eagles' Hotel California, Fleetwood Mac's Rumours and Stevie Wonder's Songs in the Key of Life
March 11 - Janet Jackson signs a $30 million (US) contract with Virgin Records.
March 16 - Seven members of country music singer Reba McEntire's band and her road manager are killed when their private plane crashes in California, near the Mexican border. McEntire travels on a separate plane.
March 20 - Michael Jackson signs a $1 billion contract with Sony.
March 20 - Eric Clapton's four-year-old son, Conor, dies after falling 53 stories from a New York City apartment window. (The death of his son would inspire Clapton to write "Tears in Heaven".)
March 24 - The Black Crowes are dropped as the opening act of ZZ Top's tour for repeatedly insulting the tour's sponsor, Miller Beer.
March 27 - New Kids on the Block's Donnie Wahlberg is arrested in Louisville, Kentucky for allegedly setting his hotel room on fire.
March 28 - George Harrison, Phil Collins and others attend funeral services for Eric Clapton's late son, Conor.
April 28 - Bonnie Raitt marries actor Michael Noonan O'Keefe in New York.
May 7 - In Macon, Georgia, a judge dismisses a wrongful death lawsuit against Ozzy Osbourne. The suit was filed by a local couple that believed their son was inspired to attempt suicide by Osbourne's music.
July - Launch of the Australian Festival of Chamber Music.
August 27 - Dr. Dre pleads no contest to charges that he beat up a woman at a West Hollywood nightclub. Dr. Dre is sentenced to 24 months probation.
September 24 - Nirvana releases Nevermind, debuting at #144 on the Billboard 200.
October 25 - Steely Dan spontaneously reunites
Whitney Houston sings "The Star-Spangled Banner" at the Superbowl. The recording is then released and becomes a hit single.
Britney Spears appears on Star Search
Love Battery's career begins
Shakira's career begins
Sublime's career begins
Tool's career begins
Cradle of Filth forms
Country music legend Kenny Rogers stars his restaurant chain, "Kenny Rogers Roasters," serving up tasty chicken.
Dave Matthews Band forms
Perry Farrell organizes the first Lollapalooza tour as a farewell for his just-dissolved band, Jane's Addiction
moe. forms
Bratmobile forms
Candlebox forms
Cracker forms
Digable Planets forms
Huggy Bear forms in Brighton, England
Local H forms
Stabbing Westward forms in Chicago
Unwritten Law forms
Nas joins Main Source
The Pharcyde signs to Delicious Vinyl, their first label
Jermaine Dupri discovers Kris Kross performing at a mall in Atlanta
Rancid forms in Berkeley, California
Vertical Horizon forms
Leftfield, an electronica duo forms in London, England
Talking Heads disbands
Rage Against The Machine forms
The original surviving members of Bill Haley and His Comets from the 1950s reunite for a European concert tour, and soon after resume regular touring and recording engagements that continue as of 2005.

Albums released

Derelicts of Dialect - 3rd Bass
The Razor's Edge - AC/DC
Waking Up the Neighbours - Bryan Adams
Facelift - Alice in Chains
Attack of the Killer B's - Anthrax
To Mother - Babes in Toyland
'80-'85 - Bad Religion (compilation of their older albums)
Against the Grain - Bad Religion
True Love - Pat Benatar
The Globe - Big Audio Dynamite II
Prince of Darkness - Big Daddy Kane
Midnight Radio - Big Head Todd & the Monsters
Revolution Girl Style Now - Bikini Kill (debut, independent demo cassette)
I Need a Haircut - Biz Markie
Travelers and Thieves - Blues Traveler
Leisure - Blur (debut)
Ropin' the Wind - Garth Brooks
Space I'm In - The Candyskins (debut)
Marc Cohn - Marc Cohn (debut)
Butchered at Birth - Cannibal Corpse
Whirlpool - Chapterhouse (debut)
Nothing but a Burning Light - Bruce Cockburn
Mighty Like a Rose - Elvis Costello
Ceremony - The Cult
Entreat - The Cure
Cypress Hill - Cypress Hill (debut)
Italia Mia - Dalida (compilation)
Les Années Barlay (1956-1970) - Dalida (compilation)
Blwch Tymer Tymor - Datblygu
Human - Death
De La Soul Is Dead - De La Soul
I Wish My Brother George Was Here - Del Tha Funkee Homosapien
Green Mind - Dinosaur Jr.
On Every Street - Dire Straits
Like an Ever Flowing Stream - Dismember
Divinyls - Divinyls
Homebase - DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince
Vinyl - Dramarama
Images and Words - Dream Theater
And Now the Legacy Begins - Dream Warriors
Electronic - Electronic (debut)
Schubert Dip - EMF
Clandestine - Entombed
Chorus - Erasure
Pornograffiti - Extreme
Time for a Witness - The Feelies (final album)
The Reality of My Surroundings - Fishbone
Believing in Better - Lennie Gallant
We Can't Dance - Genesis (first album in 5 years)
Infrared Roses - Grateful Dead
Step in the Arena - Gang Starr
Heart In Motion - Amy Grant
Hooked - Great White
Chagall Guevara - Chagall Guevara
Use Your Illusion I - Guns N' Roses
Use Your Illusion II - Guns N' Roses
Pretty on the Inside - Hole
I'm On Your Side - Jennifer Holliday
O.G. Original Gangster - Ice-T
Iced Earth - Iced Earth (debut)
- Released in the United States for the first time.
The Plague That Makes Your Booty Move...It's the Infectious Grooves - The Infectious Grooves
X - INXS
Dangerous - Michael Jackson
Doubt - Jesus Jones
Catfish Rising - Jethro Tull
Face the Nation - Kid 'n Play (final album)
The White Room - The KLF
Funke, Funke Wisdom - Kool Moe Dee
Wretch - Kyuss (debut)
Smell the Magic - L7
The La's - The La's (debut, final album)
Future Without a Past - Leaders of the New School (debut)
Biscuits - Living Colour (EP)
The Yngwie Malmsteen Collection - Yngwie J. Malmsteen (his first compilation album)
Blue Lines - Massive Attack
International Pop Overthrow - Material Issue (debut)
Rust In Peace - Megadeth
Bullhead - Melvins
Eggnog - Melvins
Metallica - Metallica
Mind Funk - Mind Funk (debut)
Let's Get To It - Kylie Minogue
Spine of God - Monster Magnet
Lean Into It - Mr. Big
Blessed are the Sick - Morbid Angel
Kill Uncle - Morrissey
1916 - Motörhead
Hoodoo - Alison Moyet
Loveless - My Bloody Valentine (final album)
Sexplosion! - My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult
God Fodder - Ned's Atomic Dustbin (debut)
Nevermind - Nirvana
Niggaz4life - N.W.A. (final album)
Ribbed - NOFX
Lunar Womb - Obsessed
Horrorscope - Overkill
No More Tears - Ozzy Osbourne
Ten - Pearl Jam
Pennywise - Pennywise
Into the Great Wide Open - Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
A Picture of Nectar - Phish
Lawn Boy - Phish
Positively Phranc - Phranc
Trompe le Monde - Pixies (final album before disbanding)
Swallow This Live - Poison
Pure Poverty - Poor Righteous Teachers
Sailing the Seas of Cheese - Primus
Diamonds and Pearls - Prince
World Outside - The Psychedelic Furs (final album)
Apocalypse '91...The Enemy Strikes Black - Public Enemy
Luck of the Draw - Bonnie Raitt
Innuendo - Queen
Out of Time - R.E.M.
Ratt N' Roll 8191 - Ratt
Blood Sugar Sex Magik - The Red Hot Chili Peppers
Roll The Bones - Rush
Streets: A Rock Opera - Savatage
Scamboogery - Scatterbrain
School of Fish - School of Fish (debut)
Uncle Anesthesia - Screaming Trees
Seal - Seal (debut)
Arise - Sepultura
Magia - Shakira
Mack Daddy - Sir Mix-A-Lot
Real Life - Simple Minds
Superstition - Siouxsie & the Banshees
Slave to the Grind - Skid Row
1,000 Smiling Knuckles - Skin Yard
Wayward Sons of Mother Earth - Skyclad
Volume One - Sleep (debut)
Gish - Smashing Pumpkins (debut)
Blow Up - The Smithereens
Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell - Social Distortion
Badmotorfinger - Soundgarden
Pocket Full of Kryptonite - Spin Doctors
Jah Won't Pay the Bills - Sublime (debut, independent demo cassette)
Mistaken Identity - Donna Summer
Overspill - Sun Dial
Girlfriend - Matthew Sweet
Laughing Stock - Talk Talk (final album)
Temple of the Dog - Temple of the Dog (debut, final album)
Psychotic Supper - Tesla
Miscellaneous T - They Might Be Giants
Violent Impression - This Picture (debut)
The Real Ramona - Throwing Muses
Tin Machine II - Tin Machine(final album)
Fear - Toad the Wet Sprocket
Little Magnets Versus the Bubble of Babble - Transvision Vamp (final album)
The Low End Theory - A Tribe Called Quest
Boss of the Bass - Jamaaladeen Tacuma
Achtung Baby - U2
For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge - Van Halen
Why Do Birds Sing? - Violent Femmes
Honey Lingers - Voice of the Beehive
Cherry Pie - Warrant
The Pod - Ween
Widespread Panic - Widespread Panic
The Best Band You Never Heard in Your Life - Frank Zappa (recorded live during the 1988 world tour)
Mr. Bad Example - Warren Zevon

Top hits

"American Music" - The Violent Femmes
"Baby Baby" - Amy Grant
"Black Or White" - Michael Jackson
"Bring The Noise" - Public Enemy and Anthrax
"Can't Stop This Thing We Started" - Bryan Adams
"Close My Eyes" - Marillion
"Do You Remember" - Phil Collins
"Don't Cry" - Guns N' Roses
"Enter Sandman" - Metallica
"Every Heartbeat" - Amy Grant
"Everything I Do (I Do It For You)" - Bryan Adams
"Get The Funk Out" - Extreme
"Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)" - C&C Music Factory
"Good For Me" - Amy Grant
"Good Times" - INXS and Jimmy Barnes
"Higher + Higher" - Jimmy Barnes
"I Can't Make You Love Me" - Bonnie Raitt
"I Will Remember You" - Amy Grant
"Live And Let Die" - Guns N' Roses
"Live For Loving You" - Gloria Estefan
"Losing My Religion" - R.E.M.
"More Than Words" - Extreme
"Mysterious Ways" - U2
"One" - U2
"Poundcake" - Van Halen
"Right Here, Right Now" - Jesus Jones
"Rock The Casbah" - The Clash
"Rush Rush" - Paula Abdul
"Shameless" - Garth Brooks
"Shiny Happy People" - R.E.M.
"Sing Your Life" - Morrissey
"Smells Like Teen Spirit" - Nirvana
"Something To Talk About" - Bonnie Raitt
"That's What Love Is For" - Amy Grant
"The Radio Song" - R.E.M.
"There'll Never Be Another Tonight" - Bryan Adams
"Top Of The World" - Van Halen
"Train In Vain(Stand By Me)" - The Clash
"Twist And Shout" - Deacon Blue
"Unbelievable" - EMF
"When Someting's Wrong With My Baby" - John Farnham + Jimmy Barnes
"Who Said I Would" - Phil Collins
"When A Man Loves A Woman" - Michael Bolton
"Wicked Game" - Chris Isaak
"Violent Blue"- Chagall Guevara
"You Could Be Mine" - Guns N' Roses

See also: Hot 100 No. 1 Hits of 1991

Classical music

Mario Davidovsky - Simple Dances for flute, two percussion, piano, and cello
Witold Lutoslawski - Chantefleurs et Chantefables
Joan Tower - Concerto for Violin

Opera

Daniel Catan - Rappaccini’s Daughter
John Adams - The Death of Klinghoffer
John Corigliano - The Ghosts of Versailles

Musical theater

Miss Saigon (Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil) - Broadway production opened at the Broadway Theatre on April 11 and ran for 4097 performances
Secret Garden Broadway production opened at the St. James Theatre on April 25 and ran for 706 performances
Song of Singapore off-Broadway production opened at the Irving Place Theatre on May 7 and ran for 459 performances
Will Rogers Follies Broadway production opened at the Palace Theatre on May 1 and ran for 983 performances